Breaking Dawn

Chapter 12: Wednesday, August 16th

If I were to be driving myself, I would most likely be going as fast as my truck would allow. But because I am in a taxi with a clearly exhausted driver, I let him go whatever speed he would like.
The flight back was excruciatingly painful, emotionally. The closest flight back to Seattle was at two p.m., and the wait for the flight to set off was even worse than the flight itself. I got to Seattle around eleven p.m., then luckily found a taxi driver to bring me back to Forks. He said he needed the money, and I told him I would give him extra cash for his kindness.
He lets me off at the end of the driveway to the Cullen residence, and (after paying the taxi driver) I sprint as fast as I can, ignoring the fact that I'm covered in mud from the knees down, and also ignoring that I'm still dressed for ninety degrees weather, yet it is not even sixty degrees here.
I left my mom a note, telling her that there was an emergency in Forks and I had to leave right then. I'm thankful Edward had left me money for the plane ride back. He left me money instead of buying me a ticket because he thought it would encourage me to spend more time with my mom.
I fling the door open, and run to where I hear people talking, ending up in the living room. I see a mess of happenings in the room. Rosalie greets me as I enter, being far too kind for her usual self, Emmett and Edward are not to be seen, and Jasper and Carlisle are talking (until they see me). I look around more, and find a still Jake on the couch. I walk to him quickly, kneeling next to the couch.
"I have him induced in a coma," Carlisle says softly.
I look at the IV in his hand, and the bruises on the insides of his elbow from (I assume) getting blood drawn.
"What happened? Where's Edward, and Leonard? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"We didn't want to worry you," Rosalie says softly.
"Where are Edward, Emmett, and Leonard?" I ask, more roughly this time.
"Edward and Emmett are over with Billy, and Leonard is dead," Jasper says with his southern accent.
"Is Jake okay? Why did you have to put him in a coma?"
Carlisle steps closer towards me and rests a hand on my shoulder. This is something most doctors do when they are about to bear bad news.
"Bella, we really don't know what is going to happen to Jacob. We've tried cleaning his blood multiple times in hopes of cleansing him of the venom, but we don't know if it worked yet. Putting him in the coma has slowed his heart rate, and the rate that venom would spread," Carlisle says to me. I guess that is better than I was expecting.
"When will he wake up?" I ask.
"Well," Carlisle begins. "I'm going to attempt to test for the venom by drawing blood straight from an artery. If his blood is clean, we will wake him."
"And if his blood isn't clean?" I ask, scared for the answer.
"I'm afraid he might not make it," Carlisle looks down to his feet.
I hear the front door close, and Edward is right in front of me within a second. "When did you get here?"
"Just barely, but are you okay?" I ask him.
"I'm fine," he says, kissing my forehead. "I'm sorry I left you, I should have stayed so I could've helped you deal with this."
"Edward, it's fine," I somewhat lie. I wish that he did stay with me, but I know that he was doing what he felt was right.
I look back to Jacob and see that Carlisle already has a vial filled with his blood, and he is walking to his desk to the microscope (I assume). Jasper and Rosalie have left the room, and Alice is holding what looks like gauze on Jake's wrist now.
I kneel beside Jake again, realizing that Billy is here now, along with some of the pack members and Emmett. I rest my hand on his. He feels cool compared to his typically hot temperature.
I rest my head on his chest, trying my hardest not to cry.
This might be the last time I hear his heartbeat, I think to myself as I let out a single tear.
But my single tear turns into many tears, and soon enough I'm trying to stop myself from sobbing. I grip Jake's shirt with all of my strength, I'm trembling. I can't lose Jake, I love him. I need him.
I don't like crying in front of people, but nothing could stop me from crying right now. If Jake dies, I don't know if I could live with myself. It would be my fault because Leonard wanted to kill me (and all the Cullens'), but Jake was just trying to protect me.
"Bella," Carlisle's soft voice appears in between my sobs. "I have the results."